Slicing machine and stringer



Au g. 18, 1936. J. L. TAYLOR I SLICING MACHINE AND STRINGER Filed Dec. 5, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet l JNPE'NTUR E3 %WJ A [A Aug. 18, 1936.

J. L. TAYLOR SLICING MACHINE AND STRINGER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1952 Aug. 18, 1936. J L, TAYLOR 2,051,352

SLICING MACHINE AND STRINGER Filed Dec. 5, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 LIL Zia; Z/Q i JNI/ENT UK Aug. 18, 1936. J. 1.. TAYLOR 2,051,352

SLICING MACHINE AND STRINGER Filed Dec. 5, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 J. L. TAYLOR 2,051,352

SLICING MACHINE AND STRINGER Filed Dec. 5, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 18, 1936.

HR D Nu Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLICING MACHINE AND STRINGER John Leonard Taylor, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application December 5, 1932, Serial No. 645,674 3 Claims. (01146-151) The present invention relates to slicing machines for cutting various articles such as fruit and vegetables, soap, and the like, and an object thereof is to provide improvements generally in the construction and operation of machines of this type.

A further object is to improve the general appearance of such a machine.

A further object is to provide a general arrangement of such a machine in which the working parts are housed and shielded by other necessary parts.

A further object is to provide an improv slicing mechanism. a

A further object is to provide a new method of determining the thicknessof such slicing.

A further object is to provide improved apparatus for efiecting such adjustment.

A further object is to provide for slitting or stringing articles sliced in such a machine.

A further object is to provide an improved relation of slicing and slitting cutters in the machine.

A further object is to provide for rendering such slitting cutters inoperative when desired.

A further object is to provide novel means for altering the characteristics of the slitting performed by such cutters.

A further object is to provide an improved slitting cutter.

A further object is to provide a combination of such cutters which will operate to further the objects above enumerated.

A further object is to provide for ready removal of such cutters from the machine, and for replacement thereof.

Further objects are to improve the details of the machine particularly in view of the objects above advanced, and further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following specification and annexed drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved vegetable slicing machine, as arranged for hand power operation.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a modified form of the machine, showing an electric motor drive, in-

stead of the hand power drive of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical section drawn on the lines 4-4 of Figures 1 and 5. Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a, portion of the machine shown in Figures 1 and 2, with parts broken away to show details of construction.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side eles vation of a part of the machine shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 7 is a side view of one of a plurality of the vertically arranged slitting cutters, shown with four radial cutting blades. 0

Figure 8 is a side view of another of the vertical slitting cutters, shown with one radial cutting blade, and indicating in dotted lines a plurality of additional cutting radial blades provided on some of the other cutting members.

Figure 9 is an enlarged transverse section, drawn on the line 9-9 of Figure '7, of one of the radial blades of a cutting member.

Figure 10 is a side view of a spacing washer, one of which is placed between adjacent vertical slitting'cutters shown in Figures '7 and .8, and also in Figures 14 to 18 inclusive.

Figure 11 is a central vertical section of the spacing washer shown in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a detail fragmentary plan view of 0 a portion of the adjustable platform for controlling the thickness of the slices of vegetables cut by the horizontal slicing knife.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the shaft for carrying the plurality of vertical slitting cutters and spacing washers.

Figures 14 to 18 inclusive are schematic views showing the several adjustable positions, respectively, of the vertical slitting cutters as manually selectively adjusted by the hand-lever pin in reg- 3O ister with indicating dial stations on the carriage.

Figure 19 is a fragmentary horizontal section, drawn on the dotted line Ill-I9 of Figure 4, showing the detail construction of the adjustable guard-plate.

In the drawings, like parts are identified by similar reference numerals throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the device com- 40 prises generally in its preferred form, a hopper 20 having an adjustable guard plate 29a, legs or standards 21 supported in anti-skid cushions 2 la,

a plurality of guide rods 22, 22, and a cross member 23, the several parts connected together constituting the framework of the machine.

A carriage 24, carrying platform 25, particularly shown lnFigure 4, and 3!, a horizontal slicing knife 26, and vertical slitting cutters 21, reciprocates horizontally immediately below the hopper 20 upon the guide rods 22, 22.

The carriage 24 comprises crossheads 29 and 30 connected together by the horizontal platform 3|,through suitable means such as the screws 32. The crossheads 29 and 30 are provided with bearings 33 in the present instance slidably fitted to I 22, 22 by means of a connecting rod 36 connected at. one end to the crosshead 30 through a pin 31" or the like fixed'therewith and engaging the rod through a-bearing 38, Figure4, the rod being operatively connected at its opposite end to a 1 crank-'59, through the pin 40 fixed with the crank and operative in a bearing 41 in the rod.

The crank 39 may be driven by any suitable means, and'conveniently by a hand-crank 42, through the bevel gears 43, 44, as shown in Figures l and 2, the latter being carried by a suitable shaft or the like journaled in suitable portions of the cross member 23, and the crank 39 being carried by a shaft or other suitable means journaled in'the cross-memberand carrying gear 44. i

. Or the crankv 49 may be driven by any suitable source of power, the means for so driving crank '39 forming no part of'thepresent invention, but for example an electric motor 45, as shown in Figure 3, may drive the crank 39 through a worm 46 meshing with a worm-gear 41, the latter *being journaled in the crosshead 23, the motor being connected to the machinein any convenient manner, as by means of screws 48, 48 fittinginto a crossmemberj49 provided therefor on the guide rods,22,22.' a 1 Inthe crosshead 30, of the carriage 24, is arranged a pair of transversely extending parallel shafts Hand 59 journaled in bearings 5| 5|. a I These shafts 49,-and 50 support the horizontal platform 25 at various predetermined elevations, as desired by the operator, with respect to the horizontal slicing knife .26, by means of an adjustable lever-arm 52, carried on the shaft 50 operating'to determine the position of said shafts.

The lever-arm 52 is fixed at onev end to the shaft 50'and' at its opposite end carries a'springurged pin 53, manually adjustable at various elevations in. holes or stations 54 arranged arcuately' in the verticalside-panel 55 of the crosshead 30. Eachof the shafts 49'and 59 carries a pairof support members ,56, 56 keyed orotherwise fixed therewith, upon which the platform 25 is-sup ported.

The shafts 49 and 59 are operatively connected 7 To close the space that would otherwise result in all but the uppermost position of platform 25,

up and down by suitable means, butin the pres-.

ent instance, for simplicity and convenienceis allowed to rest at its lower. edge upon platform '25 and follows theadjustments thereof by gravity, thus forming a: tight closure betweenthe hopper and platform at all times. 4 Suitable means such vertical slitting cutters 21 and intermediate spacing washers 60 are carried on the non-symmetrical portion of the shaft 58, preferably in present instance to prevent putting slitting cutters on incorrectly, and-rotate therewith from one fixed or predetermined position or station to another, as desired by the operator.

Each of the vertical slitting cutters 21 and the spacing washers 60 has a non-symmetrical hole or perforation 28 centrally thereof adapted to fit the 0 similar portion of the shaft 58.

The platform 25 is provided with a plurality of portions 6!, 6] at the rear end thereof, each of which are extendedbetween adjacent vertical slitting cutters 21, above thehorizontal shaft 58 .to serve the three fold purpose of guiding and in ports 83 provided therefor in the crosshead 30'. 25 V The platform 25, being formed of thin-sheet metal, is stiffened against bending bytmeans of' one or more transverse braces inthe present instance illustrated as angle bars 63, Figure 12, spot-welded or' otherwise suitably fixed there- 30 with.

The plurality of vertical slitting cutters 21, to-

gether-with the spacing washers'tll and .their supporting shaft 58 and adjusting lever-arm '64,

are removable as a'unit from the carriage 24 'of 3 the machine for cleaning purposes, by simply withdrawingthe springlcotter pins 65, from their shaft retaining members 66, .66, forminga partof'thejournal bearings 59, 59. I

In the machine shown-in full size in Figuresb and 6, the vertical slitting cutters ,21' thereof are preferably stamped out from sheet metal of about seven. to ten thousandths of an inch in thickness" and :the cutting knife edges 61 are beveled'toa sharp edge 68, Figure 9,.in the'stamping and forming process,whereby no additional sharpening is required.

-The vertical slitting cuttersl 21, shown in full size in Figures 5 to 8 inclusive, are preferably formed with from-one radial cutting blade 69, 5 Figure 8,.to fourradialbla'des 10, Figure .7, the radial blades being, in this case, 7 2 degrees apart, o'rone-fifth of thecircumference of the'cutt'ers;

The fifth radial cutting blade is preferably omitted from each of the plurality of cutters 21., ,55 so that, von the zero position'or'station of .the adjusting pin 12,-Figure 14, in register withithe dial; 16, none of the vertical slitting cutters are in operativebutting position, and, in this case, horizontal slicing is the only cutting operation of'the machine.,- h

In the present machine, the vertical slitting cutters 21, 21 are preferably equally spacedapart one-eighth of aninch, by the intermediate spacing washers 60, 60, aflixed upon the supporting 5 shaft58, although obviously some other spacing would be equally withinthe scope of the present invention, the portions 6| of plate 25 being spaced accordingly.

Referring to Figure 15, the plurality of vertical 7Q slitting cutters 21 are shown positioned at a station designated as /8, as is shown by th'e' h andlever controlling 'pin 12, which is in registerwith the dial 16, whereby each vertical slitting cutter 21 has a'radial slitting blade 1| substantially verticallyexposed in slitting position, as indicated above the dotted line l4, 14 in the reciprocating carriage 24, whereby A;" vertical slicing of the vegetables is effected simultaneously with the horizontal slicing operation.

' Referring to Figure 16, the plurality of vertical slitting cutters 27 is shown therein positioned at station as indicated by the hand-lever pin 12 which is in register with the dial 16, whereby each alternate vertical slitting cutter 21 has a radial slitting blade 13, 13 substantially vertically exposed in slitting position, as indicated by that part above dotted line l4, 14, in the reciprocating carriage 24, whereby /4" vertical slicing of the vegetables is effected simultaneously with the horizontal slicing operation of the machine.

Referring to Figure 17, the plurality of ver tical slitting cutters 21 is therein shown positioned at station as indicated by the position of the hand-lever pin 12, which is in register thereat with the dial l6, whereby each third vertical slitting cutter 21 only has a radial slitting blade 15, '55 substantially vertically exposed to slitting operation or position, as indicated above the dotted line M, M, operative in the reciprocating carriage 24, whereby 34;" vertical slicing of the vegetables is effected simultaneously with the horizontal slicing operation of the machine.

Referring to Figure 18, the plurality of vertical slitting cutters 21 is therein shown as positioned at station A", the adjusting lever-arm pin 12 and dial 16 not being shown in this view, whereby each fourth vertical slitting cutter 21 only has a radial slitting knife-edge l1, H, as indicated above the dotted line 14, 14 operative in the reciprocating carriage 24, whereby vertical slicing of the vegetables is eifected simultaneously with the horizontal slicing operation of the ma? chine.

In operation of the machine, say, for example, it is desired to cut peeled raw potatoes into rectangular shaped bars preparatory to cooking so called French fried potatoes, the operation would be as follows:-

First, the operator places a few of the peeled raw potatoes at a time into the hopper 20.

Second, the adjustable platform 25 is positioned by the operator, by means of the small adjusting pin 53, of lever-arm 52 in one of the several holes or stations 54 to obtain the desired elevation of the platform 25 with respect to the horizontal slicing knife 26, to cut, for example, thick horizontal slices from the potatoes, then at the bottom of the hopper, during each forward stroke of the carriage 24.

Third, the vertical slitting cutters 21, 21 are manually adjusted to station by turning the shaft 58 manually to the position shown in Figure 17 by means of the adjusting lever-arm pin 12. registering with the station on dial 16, which provides for vertical slicing of the potatoes simultaneously with the horizontal slicing thereof upon each forward stroke of the carriage 24 of the machine.

Fourth, the operator continuously turns the hand-crank 42, in the case of the hand-driven machine, or he turns on the current or other power in the case of the power driven machine, whereby the carriage 24 is reciprocated and the horizontal and vertical slicing operations are simultaneously performed.

The sliced potatoes drop from the machine preferably into a pan 82 therefor provided, as fast and as long as the slicing operation takes place.

The reciprocating platform 3| is positioned in the same plane as that of the horizontal slicing knife 26, and it is further located immediately behind the knife and acts as a check plate to control the descent of the unsliced vegetables by retaining them in the hopper 20 upon ea'ch'forward and each return stroke of the carriage 24, the travel of which is about the length of the hopper.

The adjustable reciprocating platform 25 like wise acts as a hopper controlling floor plate in front of the horizontal slicing knife and the vertically adjustable guard plate 28a rides upon platform 25 and assists the rear platform 3| in retaining the charge of unsliced vegetables in the hopper between and during horizontal slicing operations.

The slide bearings 33, of the carriage 24, shown in Figure 4, and all other slide and journal bearings in the machine are preferably fitted with oilless bushings 34 for anti-friction and labor saving purposes, and so that the use of lubricating oil becomes unnecessary. Oil therefore cannot contaminate the vegetables or fruits in process of slicing or cutting.

Referring to Figure 4, the assembly of the ad-) justing lever-arm 52, which carries the springurged pin 53, is clearly shown therein, and the same comprises a. sleeve 18, rigidly connected,ras

by screw threads, solder or the like at one end thereof, in the free end of the lever-arm 52, and a tubular handle"!!! is rotatively mountedlconcentrically with the supporting sleeve 18, enclosing a coiled expansion spring 80, also concentrically positioned around said sleeve 18. The

pin 53 has a turning fit permitting endwise move- 35 ment of it in the sleeve 18, and has its exterior end aflixed to a head end member 8|, as by riveting therewith, said member being afiixed in the outer end of the tubular handle 19. The spring 80 urges the pin 53 inwardly and retains the latter in one of a plurality of holes or stations 54, arcuately positioned in the side panel 55 of the carriage 24, at various predetermined elevations therein, the platform 25 being thereby adjustable to a level desired by the operator, with respect to the horizontal slicing knife 26.

The hand-lever pin 12 in register with the dial [6 and which controls the width of the vertical slitting or slicing of the vegetables is preferably identically constructed to said lever-arm pin 52 previously described.

The machine is preferably constructed largely of polished aluminum, stainless steel or other non-corrosive metals.

The central hopper 20 is preferably cast integrally with a top canopy 83 of the machine.

The whole being formed to a combined slope of architectural beauty affording ease of cleaning and having relatively great structural strength.

While I have shown my machine in the preferred form, it will be obvious that many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, the specification and drawings being merely by way of example, and not intended to limit the invention in any manner except as defined in the following claims.

Having described my invention what I claim 1. A slicing machine having a supporting frame, a hopper supported from said frame, a carriage reciprocable on said frame and having a slicing knife and an adjustable platform positioned and guided from said carriage, said carriage having a plurality of shafts journaled therein, gear segmerits 'onsaid shaftsrfor dependent rotation thereof, said shafts having cranks fixed there 7 with and supporting said platform, one of said shafts having an indexing arm for selectively determining the position of said shafts and accord-' ingly of said platform and thereby determining slicing thickness, and avertically slidable guard plate carried by said hopper positioned by and slidable on said platform, and means'for reciprocating said carriage. o

2. In a slicing machine the combination of an article containing hopper having a discharge opening, a movable retainer plate closing said opening, said hopper being arranged. for theprogressive movement of articles to be sliced therein 7 toward said movableretainer plate, a knife carried by said plate and positioned to operate dur-' ing movement of said plate, to slice said articles transversely of their direction of progressive ,movement, a portion of said plate being adjustable toward and from said knife, means for so adjusting said portion, a shafthaving across section of anirregular figureand journaled on said plate, a slitting cutter transverse to said knife and comprising a disk segment provided with a cutting edge transverse 'to the projected circumference of saididisk, saiddisk having'a central opening complementary to said shaft whereby'it can be placedthereon only in correct angular position. 1

3. In a slicing machine the combination of an article containing'hopper having a movable Wall,

and arranged .for the progressive movement of articles to be sliced therein toward a movable retainer, plate, a knife carried by. said plate andpositioned to operate'during movement of said;

plate, to slice said articles transversely of their direction of progressive movement a portion-of said plate being adjustable toward and from said knife, means for so adjusting said portion, a slitting means comprising a plurality of disk segments, certain segments being provided with; single cutting edges 7 and other segments being,

provided with a plurality of alternativelyop'er V able circumferentially spaced cuttingedges, saiddisks being carried on a rod and spaced thereonin predetermined order, the adjustable portion of said movable plate'providing a plurality of DOT-t tions extending'between said disk segments, and said cutting edges being so disposed that rotation of said rod will cause predetermined: groups or cutting edges to present themselves in cutting position between the extending portions of said plate, other cutting'edges being'shielded from" JOHNVLEONARD TAYLOR. 

